The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRH) found in its last annual report that the home improvements market will continue growing until at least 2021. People are ageing in place; new homes are hard to find in some areas of the country; house prices are increasing – so people are staying where they are and remodeling. This is fantastic for companies like ErasPro Remodeling, which in just a few years has built its reputation and is now considered one of the best renovation companies in Connecticut.
So, what are the biggest home improvement trends at the moment?
Open Plan
One of the growing trends in home improvement is for more open-plan spaces. The inherently American trend of open plan homes has spread to Europe and beyond, mainly due to the benefits of giving the appearance of more space, of letting in more light, and the fact that it can lead to more cohesive interior decoration. However, while some open-plan projects are suitable for doing yourself, some require potentially load-bearing walls to be affected. This is best conducted with the assistance of a professional. It is important, when choosing a professional, to ensure that they are properly accredited for the job in hand. As the breakdown of construction insurance by Next Insurance shows, by having accreditation, the contractor is further legitimized to create the work we expect of them and has systems in place to ensure that problems or even accidents are dealt with in a professional manner. There are some simple open plan tasks that are easy to create yourself, such as removing doors, but most need intensive structural work.
Circadian Lighting
Mental wellbeing is a huge topic at the moment and looks to continue to grow, especially as we introspectively assess how to make our lives more zen. Circadian lighting considerations, therefore, have been added to the home improvement agenda. Indeed, global indoor luminaire revenue will exceed $70 billion by 2022 and a lot of this will go towards making the lights we use at night more palatable to our eyes and circadian rhythms. Phones have modes to limit the ‘blue light’ we see, so why shouldn’t our household lighting follow suit? Industry professionals suggest that these trends will reach full effects in 2020, especially paired with environmentally friendly lighting measures too.
SMART Technology
The SMART home has been on the cards for decades, but we are finally seeing some connection between the abstract discussion of the Internet of Things and how this is being implemented in home design, not just appliances like Google Home or Amazon Echo. We will see our kitchens become smart through the features our fridges and ovens will have – such as the ability to tell us when food is expiring or coordinate meal plans for our family. Our bathrooms will become smarter through the integration of smartphones and aromatherapy, which will help us relax and cool down. SMART technology often includes adding security systems and lighting systems throughout the house that can be controlled by a smartphone or tablet.
The HIRH reveals that a third of improvers say they wish that they had gone further with their project, so the growing trends of home improvement will be ones that leave no room for regret. The oddest thing about home improvement trends is that by the time you have completed the project, the world has moved onto the next trend. However, there are some that remain for years and provide a timeless and classy improvement to your home. Not only do these trends help add value, but they make living in your house a lot more enjoyable and a better overall experience. From making a home open plan to adding circadian lighting and going fully SMART, these trends are set to prevail for years to come.
